Staffing concerns lead to call for help at P.E.I. seniors' home

A seniors' home in Tignish, P.E.I., is compiling a list of people in the community who could step in if there are staffing shortages because of an outbreak.

The Tignish Seniors Home Care Cooperative is a community care facility with 45 residents.

Like many other facilities, it struggled with staffing.

Once they know there's a need, they step up to the plate and that's beautiful." Jennifer Heaman, TignishSeniors Home Care Cooperative

"Now that we know of cases in our Tignish community, it's getting pretty close to home," said Jennifer Heaman, office manager and HR representative at the home.

"We care for people that are more fragile in health so we are working extra diligently to make sure that everything is safe and healthy here for them."

Heaman said the facility is putting together the list in case staffing gets stretched in an outbreak situation. But, she said, they might also be able to draw on the list for more permanent staffing solutions.

"In this community, it's hard to bring people in," she said. "It is more remote."

She said the people who live at the home are pretty independent, and that means a different kind of staffing need than some other long-term care homes might have.

"I think for the most part, it's just being reliable and dependable," she said. "We have the housekeeping staff, we have the caregivers, we have the kitchen. It's just basic logical needs that we provide."

'That's what I love about this community'

She said there would be training for anyone with direct personal care for residents, but what they would be looking for is more "indirect care" help with laundry or meals, for maybe only a couple of hours. She said that would take the pressure off the caregivers so they can concentrate on the residents.

"The staff that we do have, they are working 10 and 12 hours, around the clock. They are lengthy shifts," she said. "They are doing more than their regular roleto make this work."

She said there has been lots of interest since they put out the call.

"That's what I love about this community," she said. "Once they know there's a need, they step up to the plate and that's beautiful."

Anyone interested can call the home or go to its Facebook page.

Heaman said the care facility is non-profit, but there is compensation for those who are accepted.